NCAA BASKETBALL: Stewart, McGraw earn AP awards

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Breanna Stewart picked up right where she left off as a freshman with a stellar sophomore year.

UConn’s 6-foot-4 sensational star earned The Associated Press Player of the Year award Saturday, becoming just the third sophomore to achieve the honor. Notre Dame’s Muffet McGraw was selected coach of the year for the second straight season.

Stewart, a unanimous All-American, got 20 votes from the 36-member national media panel that selects the weekly Top 25. Stanford’s Chiney Ogwumike received eight votes while Baylor’s Odyssey Sims had six. Kayla McBride of Notre Dame received the other two votes.

Stewart joined former UConn star Maya Moore and Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris as the only sophomores to win the award. Steward helped the Huskies win the national championship as a freshman and has been a major reason why the Huskies are undefeated this season.

McGraw is only the second coach ever to win the award in consecutive years, joining Auriemma. West Virginia’s Mike Carey was second with eight votes. Auriemma was third and South Carolina’s Dawn Staley was fourth.

McGraw also was honored with the award in 2001.

Stewart lead the Huskies in scoring, averaging 19.4 points to go along with 8.1 rebounds and 2.8 blocks.

She is the eighth different Connecticut player to be selected as player of the year since the award began in 1995.